A series of ten ceramic tiles with applied decoration that can be used to create text and signage by their various combinations. The aim was to to keep the number of different decorated tiles to a minimum so that manufacturing might become cheaper and stock in retail outlets easier to manage.

The tiles were developed in 2008.

The ceramics are produced in the usual way, with transfers applied to standard white ceramics, but this time with each piece ‘wearing’ the wrong ceramic transfer. The saucer has the graphic that would normally wrap around the cup, while the cup has the saucer transfer. The large plate has the graphic that fits the side plate and the smaller plate has only room for a section of the larger plates decoration.

I have not ‘designed’ anything here. Simply interfered with the production process. The result is to see more clearly the the people on the production line as they are given the small freedom to choose how the product will look. Each object it’s different.

The Chinese Whispers crockery set was designed for Trico in 2001.

Click here to go to the cups and saucers on Trico’s website

Click here to go to the sideplates on Trico’s website

Click here to go to the plates on Trico’s website

One of my early experiments with manufacturing intervention combined with narrative from 2000. The crockery was produced by a well-known ceramics factory in Stoke on Trent where I was allowed to interrupt the production line in mid flow. I sat and bit the plates myself as they were produced, leaving them to continue through production to be picked up in quality control.

The final result appears as if someone has been so hungry that they have tried to eat the plates.